Akpoti-Uduaghan Vs Akpabio: Court Battle Heats Up As Hearing Date Is Set!

The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear contempt charges on Tuesday involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The allegations stem from claims that Akpoti-Uduaghan violated a previous court order by sharing related content on social media.

Justice Binta Nyako, who is presiding over the matter, confirmed that both contempt filings — one by Akpabio and a counter-filing by Akpoti-Uduaghan — will be addressed in court at 12 p.m.

The legal confrontation arises from a directive issued on April 4, in which Justice Nyako barred all parties from making public or social media statements about the ongoing proceedings.

Akpabio’s legal representative, SAN Kehinde Ogunwumiju, argued that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had continued to grant media interviews in breach of the court’s instructions. He specifically cited a “satirical letter” she posted on Facebook as evidence of disobedience.

In a counteraction, Akpoti-Uduaghan also filed a contempt suit against Akpabio, the Senate, and other legislative officials. She claimed that her suspension from the Senate violated a prior order by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, which barred any such punitive measures until the resolution of the case.

The senator’s lawsuit names the Clerk of the National Assembly, Senate President Akpabio, the Senate itself, Senator Neda Imasuen, and the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct as the first through fourth defendants, respectively.